OFFICE  OF  THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  PRESBYTERIAN, 

\V'ir,MiN(}TON,  Dcfciuber,  1878. 

I)i;a  i;  ii  I  ii  iir(  s(  iitiii<;-  (o  you  the  claims  of  the  North  Carolina  Prksbytkki ax,  we  beg  your  atten- 

tion to  Uu'  follow  in-  (.•oiisidcralions  : 

You  will  agree  with  us  that  the  interest  felt  in  any  husincss  enterprise,  and  in  general  the  success  it  attains,  are 
proportioned  to  the  knowledge  possessed  of  its  opi  rations  and  .ksi-iis.  Tlic  ininciple  is  applicable  to  the  Church  as 
well. 

We  believe  we  may  say  that  in  no  other  Synod,  unless  ])ossibly  the  Synod  of  Texas,  are  Presbyterians  so  fully 
informed  as  to  the  ih'tails  of  the  woik  of  the  Church  in  tlicir  inuncdiate  bounds,  and  beyond  them.  The  North 
Cauolina  i'i;i;si!Y  ri;i;  i  a  .\ ,  in  iiii|jarliii^  this  iiiiorniaiiou  to  iis  n  adcrs,  as  it  does  by  the  publication  in  full  of 
Abstracts  of  Minutes  of  Synod  and  tlic  Prcsbylcrio,  with  acconi|ian.\  inj;  Reports  and  other  i)apers— we  say  the  Prks- 
liYTiati  AX  thus  so  informs  our  people  as  to  pioihicc  a  love  for  tlic  ( 'hurdi  and  ilswoik,  al  home  and  at  lai',-c,  with 
the  further  result  of  in<Tca>cd  cnni  ribid  ions  and  urcatcr  i}ractical  cll'ort  in  every  dc]iai'tmcnt  of  service.  The  \arious 
courts  of  the  (.'luircli  cndnr-c  tliisvicw  U\   rcipicst  ini'- the  publications. 

Moreover,  you  will  liavi'  notiMl  that  w  hile  we  pulilisli  all  items  of  interest  coneernini;- our  noble  Church,  which 
can  be  gathered  from  cxcban<4cs  idial  we  may  not  detract  from  a  ,i;i'neral  but  earnest  feelini;  of  1  n-oi  herhood),  we, 
through  the  kindness  of  brethren,  are  enabled  lo  ,<jive  tlie  fullest  and  freshest  items  of  news  from  oiii-  own  churches; 
and  so  w  ifliin  our  Synod  w  e  come  to  regard  ourselves  as  one  family,  separated  iu<leed,  but  enjoying  freciuent  social, 
albeit  not  [lersoual  intercourse. 

Our  contributions,  unexcelled,  if  euualled,  by  those  of  any  other  papers,  tend  directly  to  the  above  result,  as  being 
in  the  nuiin  from  nu'mbers  of  our  Synod.  Our  editorials,  too,  are  from  the  pens  of  our  immediate  brethren,  lay  and 
clerical. 

Of  other  departments  of  the  paper  we  forbear  to  speak,  for  praise  of  the  paper  is  not  our  purpose.  Our  object  is 
to  impress  upon  you  that  the  Nourn  ('AUomxA  PRE,-iBVTKRiAN'  is  an  essential  aid  to  the  Synod  of  North  Carolina, 
in  its  work  for  the  (iicat  Head  of  the  Church. 

.\nd  now.  bi-elli;en,  we  call  your  attention  to  the  fact  that  our  pa|)er,  in  tliirs  devoting  itself  in  such  laruc  measure 
specilicall\'  to  lliewni'kof  the  Syimd,  does,  lo  some  extent,  run  counter  to  the  popular  ta-tc,  and  reslrietsour  field 
to  the  Slate,  ami  is  thus  at  a  serious  disa.  I  va  n  I  a- c  as  against  papers  not  so  employed.  We  woulil  have  the  papi-r,  as  it 
is  in  t  rut  1 1  and  in  name,  tlu'  Tre^Wy  h'rian  oj'  Xorlb  ( 'aidlina  -and,  n.ay  we  adil,   inr  N  oi-|li  ( 'a  rol  i  n  ians. 

A  few  words  personal.  Wmv  sense  oi'  Justice  I'evolls  at  the  idea  of  one  individual  lie.irinu  any  great  proportion  of 
loss  that  may  be  conseiiuent  upon  benelilum  llie     IriK- Ss  uo  l,  as  above  imlieated. 

We  ask  no  subsidy.  We  ask  \oni-  piisiiixc  inihienci^  and  hearty  praei ieal  cffDrts  in  bringing  the  claims  of  our 
])ai)er  before  the  peojile,  with  a  \  iew  to  plaeinu  tlic  I'mosiiv  riORiAX  in  c\  er\  l.!ni:!.\ nf  our  commtmiou.  Further,  to 
this  end,  we  most  earnesily  reijuestthat  each  Ses-iou  will — if  no  aiicnl  is  leiwa  -ilie^  aiipoint  an  ellicient  agent  to 
actively  canvass  fm-  the  pajx  r,  and  that  the  Session  will  rciiort  the  a|)pointment  to  the  undersigned  i)r<uuptly.  In  all 
eases,  we  crave  that  you  w  ill  e.xtend  siudi  aid  or  counsel  as  may  be  necessary. 

In  conclusion,  I  am  aware  that  I  am  asking  much,  Imt  ask  in  full  assurance,  as  being  not  mimindful  of  the 
numerous  ami  uniccpiiti'd  kiiuin esses  you  haw  bcstowi'd  in  the  |)ast,  and  which  shall  ever  commaml  my  heartfelt 
gratitude. 

Resi)ect  fully, 

JOHN  McLAURIN, 

rublhher  JS'orili  Curolina  PreHbijtcrian. 


